This invention concerns a carrier device, and more particularly relates to a thermally insulated device for transporting a single large container of a cold beverage such as a keg of beer.
Many thermally insulated beverage-carrying devices have earlier been disclosed. Several distinct categories of such devices may be delineated based upon their structural characteristics and intended use. Rigid-walled coolers are most common for general recreational use, such coolers having a single large internal rectangular compartment capable of accommodating a variety of small beverage containers and coolant such as ice. Because of their heavy and cumbersome nature, rigid-walled coolers are not easily lifted into and removed from awkward locations such as the trunk of an automobile.
Industrial insulative carriers have been disclosed for the commercial transportation of containers of uniform size, and are designed to be compatible with mechanized mass-production handling techniques.
Light weight flexible-walled insulative containers are known for versatile outdoor recreational use as by hikers, boaters, campers and hunters. Although well suited for their intended purposes, they cannot be adapted to the very specialized task of hauling a cargo sufficiently heavy to require the effort of two persons.
There is a current popularity in providing kegs of beer at parties and other festive activities. The kegs, generally of a standardized size, are obtained from the brewery filled with cold beer. The filled keg must then be transported to the site of the party and kept cold for the duration of the party while permitting easy dispensation of beer therefrom. Most usually, the filled keg is lifted into the trunk of a car by two persons, transported to the site of use, and then placed in a large tub, drum or barrel containing ice. The tub, the keg, and the ice, usually packaged as cubes in polyethylene bags, generally occupies an amount of space exceeding the capacity of the trunk or other space in most automobiles. The tub or equivalent surrounding structure into which the keg is placed is highly inefficient in cooling the keg because the upper extremities of the keg usually extends beyond the level of ice cubes in the tub. If the tub were chosen so large that the keg would be completely submerged within ice cubes confined by the tub, the size of the tub would be so large as to make it completely unwieldy, and would create difficulties in the removal of the beer from the keg.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a thermally insulative carrier for a keg of beer.
It is another object of this invention to provide a carrier as in the foregoing object which is of light weight, collapsible construction.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carrier of the aforesaid nature which completely envelopes the keg yet permits removal of beer therefrom.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a carrier of the aforesaid nature of rugged, durable construction and amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.